The present invention relates generally to a welding assembly. More specifically, the present invention relates to a welding assembly, which provides sufficient force and current through conductive ends to create a surface-to-surface weld between weldable members.
Welding devices are used in many industrial applications, such as vehicle construction on vehicle assembly lines. To form some welded connections, a desired amount of welding material must be placed between the surfaces of the weldable members where the welded joint is to be formed. This type of welded joint is difficult to form when the weldable members are tubular in form because it becomes difficult to directly access the welding surfaces. For example, traditional spot welds cannot supply sufficient current through the contact surfaces of the members to form the welded connection.
Moreover, tubular hydroforming technology is increasingly being used in industry, particularly in the automotive industry. Hydroforming technology offers many advantages for automobile frame construction, but difficulties in welding hydroformed components arise due to the tubular shape of the parts as described above.
Thus, there is a need in the automotive industry for a technology that allows rapid, low cost joint formation between tubular hydroformed members. Specifically, there is a need for a welding device, which can join tubular members together with a surface-to-surface joining technique. This invention addresses these needs in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art once given this disclosure.
One object of the present invention is to provide a welding device for joining weldable members together.
Another object of the invention is to provide a welding device for joining tubular hydroformed members together.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a welding device which provides sufficient force and current through conductive ends to create a surface-to-surface weld between weldable members.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide a welding device wherein conductive ends are substantially the same size as the weldable members.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide a welding device wherein conductive ends nest with the weldable members.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide a welding device that is mounted on a movable robot.
The foregoing objects are basically attained by providing a welding device, comprising a first welding part having a first support and a first conductive end capable of being engaged to a structure to be welded; and a second welding part coupled to the first welding part and having a second conductive end capable of being engaged to the structure to be welded, the first conductive end having a first base coupled to the first support, and a first contoured portion coupled to and extending away from the first base and including a first concave recess to nest with the structure to be welded.
The foregoing objects are further attained by providing a combination of a welding device and at least one weldable member, comprising a first weldable member having a first longitudinal axis and a first cross-section transverse to the longitudinal axis, the cross-section being closed, hollow, and having a first width; a welding device having a first welding part and a second welding part coupled to the first welding part, the first welding part having a first support and a first conductive end and the second welding part having a second conductive end, the first conductive end having a first base coupled to the first support and a first surface opposite to the first base and engaged with the first weldable member, the first surface extending along substantially the entire extent of the first width of the first weldable member.
The foregoing objects are further attained by providing a welding device, comprising a first welding part having a first support and a first conductive end coupled to the first support and capable of being engaged with a structure to be welded; a transformer coupled to the first conductive end; and a force-applying mechanism coupled to the first support, the first welding part, the transformer, and the force-applying mechanism forming a single structure supported by and mounted on a mechanism and movable between first and second welding positions.
The foregoing objects are further attained by providing a combination of a welding device and at least one weldable member, comprising a first weldable member having a first longitudinal axis and a first cross-section transverse to the longitudinal axis, the cross-section being closed, hollow, and having first and second opposing sides; a welding device including a first welding part having a first support and a first conductive end, the first conductive end having a first base coupled to the first support and a first surface opposite to the first base and engaged with the first weldable member, the first surface being substantially coextensive with the first side of the first weldable member to permit electricity to flow through the first conductive end and the first weldable member.
The foregoing objects are further attained by providing a method of welding, comprising providing a first weldable member having a first longitudinal axis and a first cross-section transverse to the longitudinal axis, the cross-section being closed, hollow, and having first and second opposing sides; providing a welding device including a first welding part having a first support and a first conductive end, the first conductive end having a first base coupled to the first support and a first surface opposite to the first base; engaging the first surface of the welding device with the first side of the first weldable member such that the first surface is substantially coextensive with the first side of the first weldable member; and conducting electricity through the first conductive end of the welding device and the first weldable member by conducting electricity though the first surface of the welding device and the first side of the first weldable member.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this disclosure and which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of this invention.